The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Federal Government to ensure that the proposed redesign of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) uniform is decent, inclusive and accommodates the religious needs of female Muslim corps members.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, urged the government to involve relevant Muslim stakeholders, particularly the Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), in the design process to ensure that the interests of Muslim women are adequately represented.
The group’s appeal follows the Federal Government’s ongoing reform of the NYSC scheme, which includes plans to introduce a new uniform alongside broader structural changes.
Akintola welcomed aspects of the proposed reforms but warned that excluding Muslim groups from the uniform redesign could trigger avoidable controversy.
According to him, consultation with Muslim organisations would promote inclusiveness and ensure that the final design reflects Nigeria’s religious and cultural diversity.
He argued that previous school and institutional uniforms were designed without considering the needs of Muslim women, leading to years of agitation over the use of the hijab in educational institutions and the NYSC.
MURIC noted that earlier campaigns eventually resulted in the approval of a moderate hijab design for female Muslim corps members and expressed concern over indications that the proposed new NYSC uniform may not retain that accommodation.
The organisation cautioned against what it described as the imposition of a “Christian-oriented” uniform, insisting that Muslim women should not be compelled to compromise their religious beliefs or standards of modesty.
MURIC therefore urged the Federal Government and all stakeholders involved in the NYSC reforms to engage in broad consultations before approving the final uniform design, stressing that inclusiveness and respect for religious diversity should remain central to the reform process.
